Craig Borland

The number of young people on Bute claiming Job Seeker’s Allowance has fallen significantly over the last 12 months, according to newly-released statistics.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics state that the number of 18-24 year-olds in Rothesay claiming JSA for up to six months was 20 in October, compared to 30 at the same time last year.

In the same age group, the number of claimants for six months or more fell from ten in October of last year to five in 2015.

However, the overall number of claimants on Bute remained static, with 123 people claiming the allowance both in October last year and in October of 2015.

Lynn Hammell, customer services operations manager for the Department of Work and Pensions in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde, which covers Bute, said the number of claimants had fluctuated during the year - it fell to 108 in May - but that the rise since then could be due to the seasonal nature of some jobs on the island.